X Heucherella plant named ‘Golden Zebra’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Heucherella  plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by yellow spring leaves with a strong red pattern along veins, summer leaves yellow green to lime with red to dark brown in over half the leaf center, distinctively lobed, palmately divided leaves, and a medium plant size.

Botanical denomination: X Heucherella.

Variety designation: ‘Golden Zebra’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHeucherella and given the cultivar name of ‘Golden Zebra’. Heucherellais in the family Saxifragaceae. Heucherella ‘Golden Zebra’ originatedfrom a controlled cross between Heuchera 791-5 (a proprietary unreleasedHeuchera villosa hybrid), as the seed parent, and massed selectedTiarella (10), as the pollen parent.

Compared to the seed parent, Heuchera 791-5 (unpatented), the newvariety has leaves that are deeply cut and yellow with a dark blotchalong the vein compared to an uncut rose purple to olive leaf with noblotch.

Compared to the pollen parent, one of a Tiarella-10 massed, the newvariety has yellow foliage in spring and summer rather than green.

Compared to Heucherella ‘Stoplight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,835), thisnew cultivar has foliage that is deeply cut rather than shallowly lobed.

Compared to Heucherella ‘Alabama Sunrise’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,611),the new cultivar is smaller and has leaves that are smaller, moreyellow, more cut, and has a larger and darker central pattern.

This new Heucherella is distinguished by:

-   -   1. yellow spring leaves with a strong red pattern along veins,    -   2. summer leaves yellow green to lime with red to dark brown in        over half the leaf center,    -   3. distinctively lobed, palmately divided leaves,    -   4. and a medium plant size.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a one year old Heucherella ‘Golden Zebra’ growing in theground in late spring in shade in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a one year old Heucherella ‘Golden Zebra’ in bloom, plantedin the ground in a trial bed in the shade in the summer in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Heucherella cultivarbased on observations of a two-year-old specimens growing in the groundin Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperaturesrange from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degreesF. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. Thecolor descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, fifth edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.        -   Size.—18 cm tall from top of the foliage to the ground and            43 cm wide.        -   Habit.—Mounding.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color.            Roots develop easily from cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.        -   Lobing/division.—5 lobes palmately parted with the terminal            the longest and most deeply parted, each with distinctly cut            secondary lobes (the depth of the lobes varies with plant            maturity and leaf age; leaves become more deeply lobed with            maturity).        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Margins.—Crenate.        -   Apex.—Mucronulate.        -   Base.—Cordate, sometimes overlapping.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 11 cm long and 10 cm wide.        -   Surface texture.—Glandular both surfaces.        -   Petiole description.—Grows to 16 cm long and 2.5 mm wide,            glandular hairs, between Greyed Orange 177B and Greyed            Purple 186B on the bottom and a color closest to Yellow            Green 151A, but lighter.        -   Leaf color.—Spring, topside, Yellow Green 151A with the            pattern Greyed Red 178A, bottom side, between Greyed Yellow            160A and Yellow Green 151A with the pattern Greyed Orange            177A; summer topside Yellow Green N144C with the pattern            Greyed Orange 177A, bottom side Yellow Green N144D with the            pattern Greyed Orange 177B; fall/winter topside, some leaves            darken with rose and burgundy tones, Greyed Purple 185C to            185A with the pattern Greyed Orange 177A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Size.—Grows to 3 cm wide and 33 cm long.        -   Type.—Raceme.        -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 90.        -   Number of raceme.—10.        -   Peduncle.—10 cm tall, 3 mm wide at base, Yellow Green 146C,            glandular hairs.        -   Pedicel.—Variable, with glandular hairs, Greyed Red 182B.        -   Bloom period.—May with sporadic rebloom in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2.5 mm wide and 3 mm long.        -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.        -   Color.—White N155B.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect.        -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Size.—6 mm deep and 10 mm wide.        -   Petal description.—5 in number, lanceolate, 5 mm long and            0.5 mm wide, tip acuminate, base attenuate, margin entire,            glabrous on both sides, White NN155D on both sides.        -   Calyx description.—3 mm deep and 5 mm wide, with 5 lobes,            divided ½ way to the base, campanulate, glandular hairs on            outside, glabrous inside, tip obtuse, margin entire, NN155D            on both sides.        -   Stamen description.—10 in number, filaments 5 mm long, White            NN155D, anthers sterile, less than 1 mm, Greyed Orange            N167A.        -   Pistil description.—One central two beaked pistil, 6 mm            long, White NN155D.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—Each raceme blooms for about 2 weeks on the            plant.-   Fruit and seed: None.-   Disease and pest tolerance: No known resistances. All Heucherella    are susceptible to root weevils.

1. A new and distinct Heucherella plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.